Jim’s 1973 1800 ES
I am the second owner of this beautiful car, but I can assure you it did not look like this when I bought it off eBay in late summer 2007. When it arrived from California the transporter driver asked if I was satisfied, since he saw so many disappointed buyers as he dropped off cars. My response was that as long as it was not rusty I really did not care what it looked like.
It was pretty ugly, with faded paint, numerous small dents, torn cloth seats, cracked dash pad, bad carpeting, and an engine bay that made you want to barf. As winter approached, I tore everything apart. Dave Buettner did his magic with dent removal (body putty is used very sparingly by Dave), primed and painted the car in its original Code 110, using single stage enamel. The motor went to Competition Specialists from new pistons, bearings, you name it. I did the rest, spending darn near every evening at it for months. I made very good friends with Mike Dudek at iRoll Motors, from whom I sourced all the parts. The new leather seats came from Don Thibault. In May 2008 it rolled out of the garage in its present condition.
The car is now in the Master’s Class, having taken 1st in Class at three national judged events. It’s pictured here in front of The Performers outside the University of Wisconsin-Fox Valley Communication Arts Center, my last “project” before I retired from the campus.
Since this picture was taken a new overflow bottle was installed and the body plate repainted. And the brake booster has the correct production date stamped on it as it was in the factory.
Yes, that’s a golf tee. It was marking where the AC evaporator drain line went.